First Trailer for Studio Ponoc's 'Modest Heroes' Short Film Anthology

"You'll be carried away by these modest heroes." Oh my goodness!! Studio Ponoc, the animation studio in Japan that is essentially the spiritual successor to Studio Ghibli, has released the first official trailer for an animated anthology of short films. These short films will be released in Japan this August, their next offering since making Mary and the Witch's Flower (which just opened in the US earlier this year and is available now on iTunes). This new series is titled "Ponoc Short Films Theatre", and this first set of three shorts is titled Modest Heroes. Ponoc recruited three of Ghibli's finest veteran animators to make these three short films - Kanini & Kanino directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Life Ain't Gonna Lose (aka Samurai Egg) directed by Yoshiyuki Momose, and Invisible directed by Akihiko Yamashita. In addition, Japan's Kaela Kimura performs the Modest Heroes theme song, which plays at the end of the anthology feature. Ahhh! This looks amazing, I love everything about it, and I can't wait to see these shorts for myself.

"There is something important in the little things…" The story of three miracles is born. From Japanese animation house Studio Ponoc comes "Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Volume 1" – Modest Heroes. Three leaders of animation draw tales of modest heroes of our times: Kanini & Kanino directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (director of The Secret World of Arrietty, When Marnie Was There, Mary and the Witch's Flower) - a "big adventure fantasy" about two crab siblings. Life Ain't Gonna Lose (aka Samurai Egg) directed by Yoshiyuki Momose (artist/designer/animator for Only Yesterday, Pom Poko, Grave of the Fireflies, Porco Rosso, Whisper of the Heart, Spirited Away, Mary and the Witch's Flower) - a 15-minute "human drama" based on a true story showing the love between a mother and a boy. Invisible directed by Akihiko Yamashita (Spirited Away, The Cat Returns, Howl's Moving Castle, Ponyo, The Secret World of Arrietty, From Up on Poppy Hill, The Wind Rises) - an "action spectacle" that centers on the lonely struggle of one invisible man. Studio Ponoc's Modest Heroes will be released in Japan starting August 25th next month. No international release dates are set yet. Stay tuned for more updates. Who is excited to see these?